Oh No! My Role-Playing Mission Got Spoiled!

Shen Ju had to play the role of the universally hated real young master from an old-school trope.

System: You’re despicable, vain, you’ve done every rotten deed, and your heart is venomous.
So his birth parents grew sick of him, his big brother despised him, he served as the dark foil to the perfect fake young master, and in the end, everyone saw through his true colors, leaving him with a miserable fate…

System: “Baby, you can do it, right!”
For the rewards after completing the mission, Shen Ju nodded vigorously. “I can! Leave it to me!”
But what neither the System nor Shen Ju knew was that due to a program glitch, their encrypted chat channel had quietly added in the Guan Family members—and one unlucky passerby.

System: “You think your birth parents owe you, so you often hit them up for massive sums.”
Shen Ju nodded in agreement, then stormed off aggressively to demand money.

He stuck out his hand and flashed a “1” toward the person across from him.

Guan Family parents: **One million?
Shen Ju: “1… 1k!”
Guan Family parents: …*They’d never heard such an obscure term in their lives.
System: “You think all the good stuff in your big brother’s hands should be yours, so you keep reaching out for it.”
Shen Ju hummed in assent, then turned to demand the brand-new watch his big brother had just bought.

The Guan Family big brother exuded an imposing gravity that kept ordinary people from daring to act out in front of him.

Shen Ju stared at that stern face, working up his courage for ages. “…Ahem.”
Guan Family big brother: “…”
*Was he really that terrifying?
System: “You’re jealous of the fake young master and always try to sabotage his relationship with the Protagonist Gong!”
Shen Ju thumped his chest. Easy peasy.
He’d trail after the two like a clingy tag-along from time to time, or wedge himself in as a third wheel at every opportunity—like a sneaky cat-dog hybrid, furtively eyeing them with grabby hands.

Fake young master: “…………”
He slapped the Protagonist Gong’s shoulder. “Let’s pick a fight.”
Protagonist Gong: “Huh……”

System: “Pretend to get drunk and seduce this aloof beauty, make him look down on you!”

The aloof beauty in question: “…………”

Shen Ju chug-chug-chugged a whole bottle of booze, then headbutted the floor—smacking his forehead right into the aloof beauty’s chest. He stared at the button on the other’s collar, slurring through his drunken haze as he tried to lay on the charm:

“You… you can call me by my nickname, y’know.”
Pei Yan looked down, hooked a finger under Shen Ju’s chin, and lifted his gaze straight.

“What’s your nickname?”
Shen Ju pursed his lips at him…

“Chirp… chirp chirp.”

Guan-guan ju jiu—in the river shallows the heron nests; the gentleman seeks the perfect match.

One-sentence blurb: They all know I’m not a good person now!

Theme: See people with your heart, feel the truth with sincerity.

Translator’s Note: The phrase “Guan-guan ju jiu” is a reference to the Classic of Poetry (Shijing), the oldest collection of Chinese poems. The poem describes bird calls (Guan-guan) and is the most famous Chinese metaphor for a gentleman seeking a perfect romantic partner.